


Warmth

by starprise_entership



Series: Slices of Life (Enterprise D) [10]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Away Missions, Gen, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 02:37:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11773734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starprise_entership/pseuds/starprise_entership
Summary: During an away mission, Tasha, Data and Geordi are caught in bad weather.





	Warmth

The harsh wind chases the trio into a rocky cave carved into the side of the mountain. Feeling the respite from the strong wind, Tasha and Geordi let out a breath of relief as the wind blows around the rock wall.

“The weather machine is malfunctioning.” Data observes, reading off his tricorder. “My scans indicate that these weather anomalies are originating from a mechanical source approximately three hundred kilometers from our present location.”

“Can we shut it down or fix it somehow?” Geordi asks.

Data nods. “It is possible, with an engineering team.”

Tasha presses on her combadge. “Yar to Enterprise.” There’s a zap and then some static, which is enough to make her shake her head in disappointment.

“Too much interference,” sighs Geordi. “And I don’t think they’ll be able to get a transporter lock on us, much less send down a shuttlecraft.”

“The cycle takes place approximately every twenty-four hours. The previous setting was a standard label, ‘Autumn’, used on many weather machines on other Earth colonies. This is ‘Winter’,” explains Data, keeping his tricorder.

Geordi blows on his hands. “Then I guess we’ll have to be here for the remaining time, until the storm passes.” He takes a step further into the cave.

“Geordi.” Tasha gets his attention. “There’s ice hanging from the ceiling in most places. I think we better stay where we are.”

“Yeah.” Geordi says, sneezing. “It’s getting dark, too.”

“We can’t start a fire.” Tasha lists out. “We don’t have any wood.” She sits down on the ground, and removes a boot. She digs around in the bottom, and pulls out a pair of gloves, before sliding her foot back into the boot.

“You hide stuff in your boots?” Geordi speaks up.

Tasha shrugs. “Something I learnt back when I was younger. It’s better to bring along items you think you won’t need because you _will_ need them. Same goes for food.” She pulls a flat rations pack out of each glove, and tosses one to Geordi. “Save it for when you’re hungry.”

“Well, thanks, Tasha.” Geordi says, accepting the pack.

“I can offer myself as a source of heat,” offers Data. “I can reroute my power circuits to body temperature control, and the source of the heat I can provide could be seemingly essential to your survival.”

“You’re a gift, Data!” Geordi exclaims. He gets on the ground, and invites Data to sit down next to him. Willingly, Data puts his arms around Geordi, and rests his head atop Geordi’s.

“Data, I think that was too tight,” Geordi says, muffled. Data relaxes his grip slightly, just enough for Geordi to move around but not enough for Geordi to slip away from his grip completely.

From a distance, Tasha can’t help but crack a smile by this gesture of affection compassion. She leans against the wall, and crosses her arms across her chest, trying to trap the heat in. Curling up, she finds that her breath leaves clouds of white. Her toes start to shiver and she clenches her jaw, determined to not let it show. Forcing her eyes shut, she wills herself to sleep, but sleeping is difficult as usual. Not only are the myriad of thoughts buzzing about in her head, but the cold makes it worse. The cold seems to have seeped into her insides, freezing her to the bone. Giving up, she decides to dig into the rations, biting off a small corner of the brown carbohydrate square. It tastes of radishes and onions, as well as a sort of root. It’s not exactly tasteful, but it will keep her going for the next few days.

“Tasha!” Geordi calls over. “Trouble sleeping?”

“I’m f-fine!” Tasha responds, her teeth chattering.

“You’re not. Come over here.” Geordi advises. “Hypothermia’s gonna set in, and it’s not going to be a nice experience.”

“I believe it would be essential to your survival, Tasha.” Data reiterates. “Without a source of heat to keep you warm, your body temperature is likely to drop by-”

Tasha caves in, getting up from her spot on the ground. “Save me the specifics.” She groans. “No offense, Data.”

“None taken.” Data says, politely. He shifts, allowing Tasha to sit down on his right. Data takes an arm around Geordi’s shoulders and lays it across Tasha’s. Hesitantly, Tasha allows herself to rest her head on Data’s shoulder. Data feels toasty, like a warm heater. Geordi seems to be enjoying the warmth, too, for he and Data seem to be inseparable now, as Geordi’s left arm stretches across Data’s stomach, and he has turned onto his side. If Tasha would allow herself, she’d think Geordi was nuzzling into Data at this point.

“Your other hand.” Opening her eyes, Tasha removes the glove from her right hand and passes it to Geordi, who puts it on. She lays her bare right hand on top of Geordi’s, and Data doesn’t seem to mind.

“Thanks.” Geordi says. “Things were starting to get disproportionately heated.”

“You’re welcome,” Tasha yawns, intoxicated by the sweet warmth. She had always associated warmth with a fireplace, which although she never got to enjoy in her childhood, but it was something she had always imagined. The imaginary perfect home, in her mind, where everything was peaceful and harmonious. The fireplace she envisioned was a huge part of that, because it was what really made it home for her - the fireplace, warm and cozy. And if that didn’t sum up her current situation, snuggled up against the two people she’d trust with her life, she didn’t know what did.

 

 

 


End file.
